Leg-rest mounting means for reclining chairs



Aug. 25, 1964 A. LORENZ 3,146,023

LEG-REST MOUNTING MEANS FOR RECLINING CHAIRS Filed April 24, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

INVENTOR. 24 ANTON AO/QE/VZ By MK Aug. 25, 1964 A. LORENZ 3,146,023

LEG-REST MOUNTING MEANS FOR RECLINING CHAIRS Filed April 24, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.

INV EN TOR. a AMTO/V' ZOIQE/VZ- Aug. 25, 1964 A. LORENZ 3,146,023

LEG'REST MOUNTING MEANS FOR RECLINING CHAIRS Filed April 24, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.5.

ZK INVENTOR.

v ANTON LO/QE/VZ /24 BY TTOEIVE/S Aug. 25, 1964 A. LORENZ 3,146,023

LEG-REST MOUNTING MEANS FOR RECLINING CHAIRS Filed April 24, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. ANTON LORENZ.

OTT RNYS United States Patent 3,146,023 LEG-REST MOUNTING MEANS FORRECLINING CHAIRS Anton Lorenz, P.0. Box 742, Boynton Beach, Fla. FiledApr. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 189354 Claims. (Cl. 29785) The present inventionrelates to reclining chairs, and in particular to novel leg-restmounting means for an improved reclining chair.

The Well-known reclining chair comprises a support, a body-supportingunit including a seat and back-rest and a leg-rest mounted below theseat for elevating movement into various leg-supporting positionsforwardly of the seat. Such reclining chair includes appropriatemounting and controlling linkages which coordinate the seat and leg-restto the movement of the body-supporting unit such that the requiredinclination of the seat and elevation of the leg-rest is achieved as afunction of or in response to the inclining movement of the back-rest.In my copending application Serial No. 762,482, filed September 22,1958, and entitled Reclining Chair which is now matured into US. PatentNo. 3,047,335, of which this application is a continuation-in-part,there is disclosed an improved reclining chair wherein there are twophases of chair movement. During the first phase or portion of the chairmovement, the body-supporting unit is moved into an intermediate tiltedor semi-reclined position, and simultaneously the leg-rest is moved intoan elevated leg-supporting position. During the second phase or portionof the reclining movement the bodysupporting unit is moved to a fullyreclined position, and the leg-rest remains substantially in theelevated legsupporting position. In this preferred type of chair, whichI refer to as a double-movement type of chair, the intermediate tiltedor semi-reclined position is suitable to comfortably accommodate thechair occupant in an attitude appropriate for viewing television,reading, sewing and the like, and the fully reclined position issuitable for accommodating the chair occupant in an attitude appropriatefor complete or full relaxation.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedleg-rest mounting means for a reclining chair. Specifically, it iswithin the contemplation of the present invention to provide an improvedmounting and control arrangement for achieving the coordinated movementof a leg-rest of a reclining chair in response to the reclining movementof its body-supporting unit.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide animproved mounting and control arrangement for a double-movementreclining chair which is suitable during the first phase or portion ofthe reclining movement to elevate the leg-rest of the chair, with theseat and back-rest remaining substantially in the same angularrelationship, and during the second phase or portion of the recliningmovement to open or increase the angle between the seat and back-rest,with the leg-rest remaining elevated.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved leg-restmounting means for a two position reclining chair of the well-knownrester type wherein the body-supporting unit includes a back-rest whichis fixedly secured to a seat. The leg-rest mounting means is adapted toelevate the leg-rest during the first movement phase while the leg-restremains in substantially the same ele vated position during the secondmovement phase.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features andadvantages of the present invention, my improved reclining chaircomprises a support, a bodysupporting unit including a seat andback-rest mounted on the support for movement through a first phase froma ice sitting position to an intermediate resting position and forfurther movement through a second phase from the intermediate restingposition into various reclining positions and seat control means forinclining the seat in response to movement of the back-rest of thebody-supporting unit. A leg-rest is mounted beneath the seat by anappropriate leg-rest control linkage and is operatively connected to thebody-supporting unit such that the leg-rest is moved into an elevatedleg-supporting position forwardly of the seat in response to themovement of the body-supporting unit through the first phase of chairmovement into the resting position.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features andadvantages .of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of several illustrativeembodiments demonstrating features of the present invention, when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, ofa reclining chair of the double-movement type demonstrating features ofthe present invention, shown in the upright sitting position;

FIG, 2 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing thereclining chair in the intermediate tilted or semi-reclined restingposition;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the chairin the extreme or fully reclined position;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, ofa further embodiment of the reclining chair of the roster typedemonstrating further features of the present invention, shown in theupright sitting position;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the chairin the intermediate tilted or semi-reclined position;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the chair inthe extreme or fully reclined position;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, with part broken away and sectioned, ofanother form of the invention, shown in an upright sitting position;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 showing thechair in the intermediate tilted position; and

FIG. 9 is an elevational view showing the chair of FIG. 7 in a fullyreclined position.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1-3inclusive a first embodiment of the reclining chair of thedouble-movement type demonstrating features of the present invention,which has been generally designated by the reference numeral 10, andincludes a support 12 having opposite side walls 14, 16 interconnectedby appropriate cross braces or bars 18, 20, 22 and supported ondepending legs 24.

Movably mounted on the support 12 are the component parts of the chair,namely the back-rest 26 which is mounted for reclining movement, theseat 28 which is mounted for inclining movement, and the leg-rest 30which is mounted for elevating movement. Specifically, the back-rest 26is mounted on the support 12 at a backrest pivot 32 contiguous to thelower end of the backrest 26; the seat 28 is mounted at a seat pivot 34on the back-rest 26 by rearwardly directed rigid hanger 36; and theleg-rest 30 is mounted beneath the forward end of the seat by linkshaving a leg-rest pivot 38 on the seat 28. The leg-rest pivot 38 whichis illustrated as a movable suspending pivot confined for fore and afttranslation within a guide bracket 39 fixed to and depending from theseat 28.

A detailed description will now follow of my im- 04 proved mounting andcontrolling arrangement for mounting the back-rest 26, the seat 28, andthe leg-rest 30 for a first phase of movement from the sitting position(see FIG. 1) into an intermediate resting position (see FIG. 2) withsubstantially no relative displacement between the back-rest and seatand with the displacement of the legrest to an elevated leg-supportingposition and for a second phase of the chair movement from the restingposition into a reclining position (see FIG. 3) with a substantialincrease in the angle between the seat and backrest and with themaintenance of the leg-rest in the elevated leg-supporting position. Themounting and controlling arrangement comprises a seat control meanswhich includes a carrier link 40 which is mounted at a carrier pivot 42on the support 12 such that the carrier link 40 is movable from astarting position through a rearwardly and upwardly directed are, as maybe appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 2 and 3. The carrierlink 40 normally bears against an inclined supporting surface 18a at theupper end of the cross-brace 18. The brace 18 precludes movement of thecarrier link 40 forwardly and downwardly out of the starting positionbut permits the required movement of the carrier link through therearwardly and upwardly directed are for the seat control function. Thecarrier link 40 remains substantially stationary during the first phaseof the reclining movement (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and serves as the seatcontrol means during the second phase of the reclining movement (seeFIG. 3).

Connected between the seat 28 and the carrier link 40 is aninterengaging front guide means which includes guide member 44 and afollower member 46 engaged by the guide member 44 and imparts aninclination to the seat 28 during the first phase of movement. In thisillustrative embodiment the guide member 44 of the interengaging guidemeans is in the form of a guide plate fixed to the upper end of thecarrier link 40 and formed with an upwardly and rearwardly directedguiding surface 44a terminating in a curved seating portion 44b at itsupper end and a curved seating portion 440 at its lower end. Thefollower member 46 of the interengaging guide means is in the form of aroller which is pivotally mounted on the seat 28 at the pivot 48. In theupright sitting position, the guide member 44 is disposed relative tothe follower roller 46 such that roller is in contact with theconforming curved seating portion 440. In response to a rearwardlydirected thrust being imparted to the seat 28 incident to recliningmovement of the back-rest 26, an inclination is imparted to the seat asdetermined by the slope of the guiding surface 441: of the guide member44. By appropriately selecting the slope of the guiding surface 44a, theinclination imparted to the seat 28 may be such as to maintainsubstantially the same angular relationship between the seat 28 and theback-rest 26 as the seat moves through the first phase of its movementinto the intermediate tilted or resting position illustrated in FIG. 2.The interengaging guide members 44, 46 serves as a slidinginterconnection between the seat 28 and the carrier link 40 during thefirst phase of movement such that the carrier link 40 remainssubstantially stationary and in its starting position. When the followerroller 46 moves to the limit of its travel relative to the guide member44 wherein the roller 46 bears against the curved seating portion 44b atthe upper end of the guide member 44, a pivotal interconnection isprovided between the carrier link 40 and the seat 28.

The seat 28 is guided at its rear end by a portion 33 of the back rest26 between the pivots 32 and 34 serving as a rear guide member. Thisrear guide member 33 provides a rigid connection between the seat 28 andthe support 12 through the respective pivotal connections 34 and 32.Accordingly, in response to further rearward thrust imparted to the seat28, incident to further reclining movement of the back-rest 26, thecarrier link 40 moves out of its substantially stationary startingposition through a rearwardly and upwardly directed are about itspivotal mount 42. to impart the requisite inclination to the seat duringthe second phase of the movement. The second phase of movement isconcluded by the brace 20 having its forward surface 20a serving as astop which engages the carrier link 40 after the carrier link hastraveled through the requisite arc to establish the desired angularrelationship between the seat and back-rest for the fully inclinedposition illustrated in FIG. 3.

Operatively connected to the seat control arrangement and to theleg-rest is a leg-rest control linkage which is effective to elevate theleg-rest 30 into the requisite legsupporting position in response tomovement of the bodysupporting unit through the first phase of movement.In this form of the invention the leg-rest control linkage includes acontrol member 50 which is in the form of a double arm lever pivotallymounted on the carrier link 49 at a pivot 51 below the guide member 44.The control member 50 includes a first arm 50a which extends generallyupwardly from the pivot 51 and is connected to the back-rest 26 by afirst connecting link 52 which has a pivotal connection 54 at itsforward end to the upper end of the arm 50a and a pivotal connection 56at its rearward end to the back-rest intermediate the back-rest pivot 32and the seat pivot 34. The control member 50 further includes agenerally downwardly extending arm Stib which is operatively connectedto the leg-rest 30 by a second connecting link 58 which has a pivotalconnection 60 at its rearward end to the lower end of the arm 59b and apivotal connection 62 at its forward end to the leg-rest 39. Theleg-rest control linkage is completed by a further pair of links 64, 66which have their adjacent ends connected by a pivot 68. The link 64serves as a suspending arm for the leg-rest 30 and carries at its upperend the movable suspending pivot 38 for the legrest which is confinedwithin the guide bracket 39. The link 64 crosses over the connectinglink 58 and has a coordinating pivotal connection 70 thereto, while thelink 66 has a pivotal connection 72 at its forward end to the leg-rest30 at a point spaced from and below the pivotal connection 62.Appropriate means are operatively connected to the leg-rest controllinkage for displacing the movable suspending pivot 38 forwardly fromits retracted position (see FIG. 1) in response to the movement suchthat the leg-rest is extended relative to the seat (see FIGS. 2 and 3).In this embodiment, the movable suspending pivot 38 is urged forwardlyin response to the reclining movement by an actuating link 74 which hasits forward end pivotally connected to the link 64 coaxially of thepivot 38 and has its rearward end pivotally connected to the back-rest26 at a pivot 76 intermediate the pivots 32, 34. The pivot 76 is locatedcontiguous to the backrest pivot 32 such that there is comparativelylittle rearward displacement of the actuating link 74 in response toreclining movement as compared to the seat 28 which is mounted at theback-rest pivot 34. Accordingly as the body-supporting unit moves fromthe upright sitting position of FIG. 1 to the fully reclined position ofFIG. 3, the movable pivot 38 and the leg-rest 30 will be displacedforwardly relative to the seat 28.

In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that in response torearward movement of the seat 28 under control of the back-rest 26 aturning force is applied to the leg-rest control member 50 by theconnecting link 52 which swings the arm 5% in the clockwise directionabout the pivot 51 which imparts a forward thrust to the links 58, 64,66 to elevate the leg-rest 30 to the position illustrated in FIG. 2.Although the leg-rest 30 remains in the elevated leg-supporting positionas the carrier link 40 turns about the pivot 42 and carries the leg-restcontrol linkage rearwardly and upwardly during the second phase of chairmovement, the leg-rest 30 continues to be extended relative to the seatdue to the relative displacement of the movable pivot 38.

A more thorough understanding of the construction and function of thisembodiment of a reclining chair of the double-movement type may beobtained by making reference to the following description of anillustrative sequence of operations, making progressive reference toFIGS. 13 inclusive:

When the chair occupant is seated and leans against the back-rest 26,the back-rest begins to turn about the backrest pivot 32 and the seat 28translated rearwardly which causes the follower member 46 to bedisplaced rearwardly relative to the guide member 44 to achieve the seatcontrol function. This also causes the leg-rest control member 51) toturn about the pivot 51 to achieve the leg rest control function and themovable suspending pivot 38 to advance to achieve the extension of theleg-rest. The inclination imparted to the seat 28 by the interengagingguide means 44, 46 is established such that substantially no angularchange occurs between the back-rest and seat during the first phase ofmovement. When the roller 46 contacts the curved seating portion 44b ofthe guide member 44 the end of the first phase of the chair movement isreached with the relationship of the back-rest, seat and leg-restappropriate to establish the intermediate tilted or resting positionillustrated in FIG. 2.

When the chair occupant desires to assume a more comfortable relaxationposition, such as the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 3, theoccupant leans further against the back-rest. Since the interengagingguide means 44, 46 is effectively blocked, a turning force is applied tothe carrier link 40 which tends to turn the carrier link 41 through anupward and rearwardly directed arc about the pivotal mount 42 which willimpart an inclination to the seat as determined by the length andinitial starting position of the carrier link 41). The carrier link 40is so arranged as to enable a substantial increase to occur in the anglebetween the seat and back-rest such that the proper relationship of theseat and the back-rest is established for the fully reclined position.During the second phase of chair movement, the leg-rest control linkageremains in its extended position and is carried along with the carrierlink, but the suspending pivot 38 continues to be displaced forwardly tocontinue the extension of the leg-rest 30 relative to the seat 28 inresponse to the actuating link 74.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4-6 inclusive, there is shown afurther reclining chair of the rester type demonstrating features of thepresent invention, which has been generally designated by the referencenumeral 110 and includes a support 112 having opposite side walls 114,116 interconnected by appropriate cross braces or bars 118 and 120 andsupported on depending legs 124.

Movably mounted on the support are the three component parts of thechair, namely the back-rest 125 which is mounted for reclining movement,the seat 128 which is rigidly connected to the back-rest 126 and mountedfor inclining movement and the leg-rest 138 which is mounted forelevating movement. Specifically, the bodysupporting unit including theback-rest 126 and seat 128 is mounted on the support 112 at a pivot 132spaced from the lower end of the back-rest 126 and connected thereto bymeans of a rear guide link 133; the link 133 being pivoted to the seat128 at a seat pivot 134. The leg-rest 138 is mounted beneath the forwardend of the seat 128 at a leg-rest pivot 138 which is illustrated as amovable suspending pivot of the link 164 confined for fore and afttranslataion within a guide bracket 139 fixed to and depending from theseat 128.

A detailed description will now follow of the mounting and controllingarrangement for mounting the backrest 126, the seat 128, and theleg-rest 130 for movement through a first phase of chair movement fromthe sitting position (see FIG. 4) into an intermediate resting position(see FIG. 5) with movement of the leg-rest 130 to an elevatedleg-supporting position and for further movement through a second phaseof the chair movement from the resting position into a recliningposition (see FIG. 6)

with the leg-rest remaining in the elevated leg-supporting position. Themounting and controlling arrangement comprises a seat control meanswhich includes a front guide link 41 which is pivotally connected to theseat 128 by a pivot 144. The lower end of the front guide link 141 ispivoted at a pivot 145 to the forward end of a carrier link or member140. The rear end of the carrier member 140 has a fixed pivot 142 on thesupport 112. The carrier member 140 is mounted about the fixed carrierpivot 142 such that the carrier link 140 is movable from the startingposition through a rearwardly and upwardly directed are as may beappreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 5 and 6. Engaging thecarrier link 140 in the sitting position of the body-supporting unit isa stop which conveniently takes the form of an inclined supportingsurface 118a at the upper end of the cross-braces 118. The stop 118aprecludes the carrier link 1441 from forward and downward movement outof the starting position, but permits the required movement of thecarrier link 140 through the rearwardly and upwardly directed arc. Aswill appear hereinafter, the carrier link 140 remains substantiallystationary during the first phase of the reclining movement (see FIGS. 4and 5), but serves as the lost motion means for the front guide link 141during the second phase of the reclining movement (see FIG. 6).

On the carrier link 140 is a stop 143 preferably integral with thecarrier link 1411 and adapted to have contact with the front guide link141 at the end of the first movement phase (see FIG. 5) for a rigidconnection therebetween.

Operatively connected to the seat control arrangement and to theleg-rest is a leg-rest control linkage which is effective to elevate theleg-rest 130 in response to movement of the body-supporting unit throughthe first phase of movement. In this form of the invention, the leg-restcontrol linkage includes a control member 150 which is in the form of adouble arm lever pivotally mounted on the carrier link at the pivot145'. The control member includes a first arm 150a which extendsgenerally upwardly from the pivot 145 and is connected to a firstconnecting link 152 which has a pivotal connection 154 at its forwardend to the upper end of the arm 158a and a pivotal connection 156 at itsrear ward end to the rear guide link 133. The control member 159 furtherincludes a downwardly extending arm 15Gb which is operatively connectedto the leg-rest 130 by a second connecting link 158 which has a pivotalconnection 160 at its rearward end to the lower end of the arm 15Gb anda pivotal connection 162 at its forward end to the leg-rest 130. Inresponse to rearward movement of the seat 128 and back-rest 126 by thefront and rear guide links 141 and 133, a turning force is applied tothe control member 150 which swings the arm 15Gb in the clockwisedirection about the pivot 145 and imparts a forward thrust to theconnecting link 158 which elevates the leg-rest 130 to theleg-supporting position illustrated in FIG. 5.

During the second phase of chair movement, the legrest 130 remains inthe elevated leg-supporting position, with the carrier link 140 turningabout the pivotal mount 142 and carrying the leg-rest control linkagerearwardly and upwardly while the leg-rest remains in substantially thesame relative position with respect to the seat 128. The leg-restcontrol linkage is completed by a further pair of links 164, 166 whichhave their adjacent ends connected by a pivot 168. The link 164 servesas a suspending arm for the leg-rest 130 and carries at its upper endthe movable suspending pivot 138 for the leg-rest which is confinedwithin the guide bracket 139 of the seat 128. The link 164 crosses overthe connecting link 158 and has a coordinating pivotal connection 170thereto, while the link 164 has a pivotal connection 172 at its forwardend to the leg-rest 130 at a point spaced from and below the pivotalconnection 162. Appropriate means are operatively connected to theleg-rest control linkage for displacing the movable suspending pivot 138forwardly from its retracted position (see FIG. 4) in response to thechair movement such that the leg-rest is extended relative to the seat(see FIGS. 5 and 6). In this embodiment, the movable suspending pivot138 is urged forwardly in response to the reclining movement by anactuating link 174 which has its forward end pivotally connected to thelink 164 coaxially of the pivot 138 and has its rearward end pivotallyconnected to the rear guide link 133 at a pivot 176 intermediate thepivots 132, 156. The pivot 176 is located contiguous to the rear guidelink 133 above the pivot 132 such that there is comparatively littlerearward displacement of the actuating link 174 in response to recliningmovement as compared to the seat 128 which is mounted at the upper endof the rear guide link 133 at pivot 134. Accordingly as thebody-supporting unit moves from the upright sitting position of FIG. 4to the fully reclined position of FIG. 6, the movable pivot 138 and theleg-rest 130 will be displaced forwardly relative to the seat 128.

In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that in response torearward movement of the back-rest 126 and seat 128 a turning force isapplied to the leg-rest control member 150 which swings the arm 15% inthe clockwise direction about the pivot 145 which imparts a forwardthrust to the links 158, 164, 165 to elevate the legrest 130 to theposition illustrated in FIG. 5. Although the leg-rest 139 remains in theelevated leg-supporting position as the carrier link 140 turns about thepivot 142 and carries the leg-rest control linkage rearwardly andupwardly during the second phase of chair movement, the leg-rest 130remains to be extended relative to the seat due to the relativedisplacement of the movable pivot 138.

A more thorough understanding of the construction and function of thisembodiment of a reclining chair of the two position type will be had byreference to the following description of an illustrative sequence ofoperations, making progressive reference to FIGS. 4-6 inclusive:

When the chair occupant is seated and leans against the back-rest 126,the back-rest and seat begin to turn about the front guide link 141 andrear guide link 133 and the seat translates rearwardly which causes therear guide link 133 to be rotated clockwise rearwardly causing the firstconnecting link 152 to rotate the control member 150 and causing thefront guide link 141 to abut against the stop 143 locking both guidelinks 141 and 133 against further rotation at the end of the firstmovement phase, FIG. 5. This also causes the leg-rest control member 150to turn about the pivot 145 to achieve the leg-rest control function andthe movable suspending pivot 138 to advance to achieve the extension ofthe leg-rest by the actuating link 174.

Further, the brace 120 may be so positioned that the rear guide linkwill abut against the brace 12% for preventing further rotation of therear guide link after completion of the first motion phase.

When the chair occupant desires to assume a more comfortable relaxationposition, such as the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 6, theoccupant leans further against the back-rest. Since the rear guide link133 is effectively blocked from further rotation, a turning force isapplied to the carrier link 140 which tends to turn the carrier link 140through an upwardly and rearwardly directed are about the pivotal mount142. This will impart an inclination to the seat as determined by thelength and initial starting position of the carrier 140.

At the same time the seat will tilt about the pivot 134. During thesecond phase of chair movement the leg-rest control linkage remains inits extended position and is carried along with the suspending pivot 138remaining forwardly to continue the extension of the leg-rest 130relative to the seat 128.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 inclusive,there is shown a further reclining chair of the rester typedemonstrating features of the present 8 invention, which has beengenerally designated by the reference numeral 219 and includes a support212 having opposite side walls 214 interconnected by appropriate crossbraces or bars 218 and 220 and supported on depending legs 224.

Movably mounted on the support are the three component parts of thechair, namely the back-rest 226 which is mounted for reclining movement,the seat 228 which is rigidly connected to the back-rest 226 and mountedfor inclining movement and the leg-rest 230 which is mounted forelevating movement. Specifically, the body-supporting unit including theback-rest 226 and seat 228 is mounted on the support 212 at a pivot 232spaced from the lower end of the back-rest 226 and connected thereto bymeans of a rear guide link 233; the link 233 being pivoted to the seat228 at a seat pivot 234. The leg-rest 230 is mounted beneath the forwardend of the seat 228 at a leg-rest pivot 238 which is illustrated as amovable suspending pivot of the link 264 confined for fore and afttranslation within a guide bracket 239 fixed to and depending from theseat 228.

A detailed description will now follow of the mounting and controllingarrangement for mounting the backrest 226, the seat 223, and theleg-rest 230 for movement through a first phase of movement from thesitting position (see FIG. 7) into an intermediate resting position (seeFIG. 8) with movement of the leg-rest 234) to an elevated leg-supportingposition and for further movement through a second phase from theresting position into a reclining position (see FIG. 9) with theleg-rest remaining in the elevated leg-supporting position. The mountingand controlling arrangement comprises a seat control means whichincludes a front guide link 241 which is pivotally connected to the seat228 by a pivot 244. The lower end of the front guide link 241 is pivotedat a pivot 245 to the forward end of a carrier link or member 240. Therear end of the carrier member 249 has a fixed pivot 242 on the support212. The carrier member 24-1) is mounted about the fixed carrier pivot242 such that the carrier link 240 is movable from the starting positionthrough a rearwardly and upwardly directed are as may be appreciated byprogressively inspecting FIGS. 8 and 9. Engaging the carrier link 2419in the sitting position of the body-supporting unit is a stop whichconveniently takes the form of an inclined supporting surface 218a atthe upper end of the cross-brace 218. The stop 218a precludes thecarrier link 240 from forward and downward movement out of the startingposition, but permits the required movement of the carrier link 240through the rearwardly and upwardly directed are. As will appearhereinafter, the carrier link 240 remains substantially stationaryduring the first phase of the reclining movement (see FIGS. 7 and 8),but serves as the lost motion means for the front guide link 241 duringthe second phase of the reclining movement (see FIG. 9).

On the carrier link 240 is a stop 243 preferably integral with thecarrier link 241) and adapted to have contact with the front guide link241 at the end of the first movement phase (see FIG. 8), for a rigidconnection therebetween.

Operatively connected to the seat control arrangement and to theleg-rest 230 is a leg-rest control linkage which is effective to elevatethe leg-rest 239 in response to movement of the body-supporting unitthrough the first phase movement. In this form of the invention, theleg-rest control linkage includes a control member 250 which is in theform of a double arm lever pivotally mounted on the carrier link 24!) atthe pivot 245. The control member 250 includes a first arm 250a whichextends generally upwardly from the pivot 245 and is connected to afirst connecting link 252 which has a pivotal connection 254 at itsforward end to the upper end of the arm 250a and a pivotal connection256 at its rearward end to the rear guide link 233. The control member250 further includes a downwardly extending arm 25011 which isoperatively connected to the leg-rest 230 by a second connecting link258 which has a pivotal connection 250 at its rearward end to the lowerend of the arm 25Gb and a pivotal connection 262 at its forward end tothe leg-rest 230. In response to rearward movement of the seat 228 andback-rest 226, a turning force is applied to the control member 250which swings the arm 250: in the clockwise direction about the pivot 245and imparts a forward thrust to the connecting link 258 which elevatesthe leg-rest 230 to the leg-supporting position illustrated in FIG. 8.

During the second phase of chair movement, the legrest 230 remains inthe elevated leg-supporting position, with the carrier link 240 turningabout the pivot mount 242 and carrying the leg-rest control linkagerearwardly and upwardly while the leg-rest remains in substantially thesame relative position with respect to the seat 228. The leg-restcontrol linkage is completed by a further pair of links 264, 266 whichhave their adjacent ends connected by a pivot 268. The link 264 servesas a suspending arm for the leg-rest 230 and carries at its upper endthe movable suspending pivot 238 for the leg-rest which is confinedwithin the guide bracket 239 of the seat 228. The link 264 crosses overthe connecting link 258 and has a coordinating pivotal connection 270thereto, while the link 264 has a pivotal connection 272 at its forwardend to the leg-rest 230 at a point spaced from and below the pivotalconnection 262. Appropriate means are operatively connected to theleg-rest control linkage for displacing the movable suspending pivot 238forwardly from its retracted position (see FIG. 7) in response to theseat movement such that the leg-rest is extended relative to the seat(see FIGS. 8 and 9). In this embodiment, the movable suspending pivot238 is urged forwardly in response to the reclining movement by anactuating link 274 which has its forward end pivotally connected to thelink 2454 at a pivot 275 spaced from the suspending pivot 238 and hasits rearward end pivotally connected to the carrier link 240 at a pivot276 intermediate the pivots 242, 245.

As the body-supporting unit moves from the upright sitting position ofFIG. 7 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 9, the movable pivot 238and the leg-rest 230 will be displaced forwardly relative to the seat228.

In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that in response torearward movement of the back-rest 226 and seat 228 a turning force isapplied to the leg-rest control member 250 which swings the arm 25% inthe clockwise direction about the pivot 245 which imparts a forwardthrust to the links 258, 264, 266 to elevate the legrest 230 to theposition illustrated in FIG. 8. Although the leg-rest 230 remains in theelevated leg-supporting position as the carrier link 240 turns about thepivot 242 and carries the leg-rest control linkage rearwardly andupwardly during the second phase movement, the leg-rest 230 continues tobe extended relative to the seat due to the relative displacement of themovable pivot 238.

A more thorough understanding of the construction and function of thisembodiment of a reclining chair of the two position type will be had byreference to the following description of an illustrative sequence ofoperations, making progressive reference to FIGS. 7-9 inclusive:

When the chair occupant is seated and leans against the back-rest 226,the back-rest and seat begin to turn about the front guide link 241 andrear guide link 233 and the seat translates rearwardly which causes therear guide link 233 to be rotated clockwise rearwardly causing the firstconnecting link 252 to rotate the control member 250 and causing thefront guide link 241 to abut against the stop 243 locking both guidelinks 241 and 233 against further rotation at the end of the firstmovement phase, FIG. 8. This also causes the leg-rest control member 250to turn about the pivot 245 to achieve the leg-rest control function andthe movable suspending pivot 238 to 10 advance to achieve the extensionof the leg-rest by the actuating link 274.

Further, the brace 220 may be so positioned that the rear guide link 233will abut against the brace 220 for preventing further rotation of therear guide link after completion of the first motion phase.

When the chair occupant desires to assume a more com fortable relaxationposition, such as the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 9, theoccupant leans further against the back-rest. Since the rear guide link233 is efiectively blocked from further rotation, a turning force isapplied to the carrier link 2 40 which tends to turn the carrier link240 through an upwardly and rearwardly directed are about the pivotalmount 242. This will impart an inclination to the seat as determined bythe length and initial starting position of the carrier 240.

At the same time the seat 228 will tilt about the pivot 234. During thesecond phase movement the leg-rest control linkage remains in itsextended position and is carried along with the suspending pivot 238remaining forwardly to continue the extension of the leg-rest 230relative to the seat 228.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unitincluding a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for movementthrough a first phase of movement from a sitting position into anintermediate resting position and for further movement through a secondphase from said resting position into a reclining position, seat controlmeans including a carrier movably mounted on said support, stop meansengageable with said carrier in the sitting position of saidbody-supporting unit for establishing a substantially stationaryposition for said carrier, a leg-rest control linkage operativelyconnected to said seat control means, and a leg-rest operativelyconnected to said leg-rest control linkage, said leg-rest controllinkage including a link, a pivot on said link, and means depending fromsaid seat guidingly engaging said pivot to move along a path extendingsubstantially fore and aft of said seat, connecting means operativelyconnected to a movable part of said chair to elevate said leg-rest, andan actuating link pivotally connected to a movable part of said chairother than said seat at a point spaced from said seat for effectingforward displacement of said pivot in response to reclining movement ofsaid body-supporting unit to simultaneously extend said leg-restrelative to said seat.

2. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unitincluding a seat and back-rest rigidly connected together and mounted onsaid support for movement through a first phase of chair movement from asitting position into an intermediate resting position and for furthermovement through a second phase from said resting position into areclining position, seat control means including a carrier movablymounted on said support, stop means engageable with siad carrier in thesitting position of said body-supporting unit for establishing asubstantially stationary position for said carrier, a leg-rest controllinkage operatively connected to said seat control means, and a leg-restoperatively connected to said leg-rest control linkage, said leg-restcontrol linkage including a link, a pivot on said link, and meansguidingly engaging said pivot to move along a path extendingsubstantially fore and aft of said seat, connecting means operativelyconnected to said body-supporting unit to elevate said leg-rest, anactuating link pivoted to a movable part of said chair other than saidseat, said link being operatively connected to said seat control meansand to 1 said actuating link for effecting forward displacement of saidpivot in response to reclining movement of said bodysupporting unit tosimultaneously extend said leg-rest relative to said seat.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unitincluding a seat and back-rest movable relative to each other forinclining and reclining movement respectively and mounted on saidsupport for movement through a first phase of chair movement from asitting position into an intermediate resting position and for furthermovement through a second phase from said resting position into areclining position, seat control means for displacing said seat relativeto said back-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit,said seat control means including a carrier movably mounted on saidsupport, stop means engageable with said carrier in the sitting positionof said body-supporting unit for establishing a substantially stationaryposition for said carrier, 21 leg-rest control linkage operativelyconnected to said seat control means, and a leg-rest operativelyconnected to said leg-rest control linkage, said leg-rest controllinkage including a link, a pivot on said link, and means guidinglyengaging said pivot to move along a path extending substantially foreand aft of said seat, connecting means operatively connected to saidbody-supporting unit to elevate said leg-rest, an actuating link pivotedto a movable part of said chair other than said seat, said link beingoperatively connected to said seat control means and to said actuatingmeans for effecting forward displacement of said pivot in response toreclining movement of said body-supporting unit to simultaneously extendsaid leg-rest relative to said seat.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unitincluding a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for movementthrough a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into anintermediate, tilted sitting position and for further movement through asecond movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting positioninto a reclining position, body-supporting control means operativelymounting said body-supporting unit on said support, a leg-rest controllinkage operatively connected to said seat control means, and a leg-restoperatively connected to said leg-rest control linkage, said legrestcontrol linkage including a link, a pivot on said link,

and means guidingly engaging said pivot to move along a path extendingsubstantially fore and aft of said seat, connecting means operativelyconnected to said body-supporting unit to elevate said leg-rest, anactuating link pivoted to a movable part of said chair other than saidbody-supporting unit, said link being operatively connected to said seatcontrol means and to said actuating link for efiecting forwarddisplacement of said pivot in response to reclining movement of saidbody-supporting unit to simultaneously extend said leg-rest relative tosaid seat.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unitincluding a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for movementthrough a first phase of chair movement from a sitting position into anintermediate, tilted sitting position and for further movement through asecond movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting positioninto a reclining position, body-supporting control means operativelymounting said body-supporting unit on said support, a leg-rest controllinkage operatively connected to said seat control means, and a leg-restoperatively connected to said leg-rest control linkage, said legrestcontrol linkage including a link, a pivot on said link, and meansguidingly engaging said pivot to move along a path extendingsubstantially fore and aft of said seat, connecting means operativelyconnected to said body-supporting unit to elevate said leg-rest, anactuating link pivoted to a movable part of said chair other than saidseat, said link being operatively connected to said seat control meansand to said actuating link for eltecting forward displacement of saidpivot in response to reclining movement of said body-supporting unit tosimultaneously extend said leg-rest relative to said seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,568,217 Goodwin Jan. 5, 1926 2,662,582 Lorenz Dec. 15, 1955 2,788,058Luckhardt Apr. 9, 1957 2,909,213 Winick Oct. 20, 1959 2,989,342Schliephacke June 20, 1961 3,065,990 Schliephacke Nov. 27, 19623,075,808 Lorenz Jan. 29, 1963

1. A RECLINING CHAIR COMPRISING A SUPPORT, A BODY-SUPPORTING UNITINCLUDING A SEAT AND BACK-REST MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENTTHROUGH A FIRST PHASE OF MOVEMENT FROM A SITTING POSITION INTO ANINTERMEDIATE RESTING POSITION AND FOR FURTHER MOVEMENT THROUGH A SECONDPHASE FROM SAID RESTING POSITION INTO A RECLINING POSITION, SEAT CONTROLMEANS INCLUDING A CARRIER MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT, STOP MEANSENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CARRIER IN THE SITTING POSITION OF SAIDBODY-SUPPORTING UNIT FOR ESTABLISHING A SUBSTANTIALLY STATIONARYPOSITION FOR SAID CARRIER, A LEG-REST CONTROL LINKAGE OPERATIVELYCONNECTED TO SAID SEAT CONTROL MEANS, AND A LEG-REST OPERATIVELYCONNECTED TO SAID LEG-REST CONTROL LINKAGE, SAID LEG-REST CONTROLLINKAGE INCLUDING A LINK, A PIVOT ON SAID LINK, AND MEANS DEPENDING FROMSAID SEAT GUIDINGLY ENGAGING SAID PIVOT TO MOVE ALONG A PATH EXTENDINGSUBSTANTIALLY FORE AND AFT OF SAID SEAT, CONNECTING MEANS OPERATIVELYCONNECTED TO A MOVABLE PART OF SAID CHAIR TO ELEVATE SAID LEG-REST, ANDAN ACTUATING LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A MOVABLE PART OF SAID CHAIROTHER THAN SAID SEAT AT A POINT SPACED FROM SAID SEAT FOR EFFECTINGFORWARD DISPLACEMENT OF SAID PIVOT IN RESPONSE TO RECLINING MOVEMENT OFSAID BODY-SUPPORTING UNIT TO SIMULTANEOUSLY EXTEND SAID LEG-RESTRELATIVE TO SAID SEAT.